Construction oe the hulls oe concrete ships



J. H. HOLMGREEN. CONSTRUCTION oF THE HULLS 0E CONCRETE SHIPS.

' APPLICATON'FILED OCT. 5. i918.

Patented May 13, 1919.

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J. H. HOLMGREEN.r CONSTRUCTION OF THE HULLs 0F CONCRETE SHIPS. APPLICATION FILED ocr. s. 191s.

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J. H. HULMGREEN. coNsmucnoN 0F THE HULLS oF'CoNCRETE SHIPS.

` APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5. WIB. 1,303,667.

Patented May 5 I QM @wurm/tor JULIUS I-I.` HOLMGREEN, OF- SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

CONSTRUCTION 0F THE HULLS 0F CONCRETE SHIPS.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 13, 1919.

Application mea october 5, 191s. serial No. 257,055.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUS H. HOLMGREEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Construction of the Hulls of Concrete Ships, of which the following is a specification. n Y I This invention relates to concrete ship and other floating craft and more particularly to the construction ofthe hulls thereof.

The object of the invention is to provide a concrete hull capalble of being conveniently and expeditiously cast or molded in a suitable form and which will 'be comparatively light in weight and at the same time possess sufficient strength and durability toeifectually withstand all strains to which ships are subjected incident to ocean travel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a concrete hull the Walls of `which are reinforced and strengthened by the pro-v vision of binding elements or rods which engage suitable supporting members embed ded in the concrete of which .the wall is formed, said rod supporting 1members also serving to properly space circumferential strips of foraminous material which constitute a further reinforcement for the walls of the hull.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a plurality of frusto-conical spacing membersl or disks, vwhich are disposed at opposite ends ofthe rod supporting members and bear against strips of foraminou-s material, the outer faces of the disks being disposed flush with the contiguous faces of the wallsof the hull so as to space the foraminons material a suliicien-t distance therefrom to prevent electrolytic action when the hull is launched.

A further aim of the invention is to pro-V vide a novel form of reinforcement for the ribs of the hull and means for supporting the rib reinforcements within the mold during the molding operation.

A still further olbject of the invention is generally to improve this 4class of devices so as to increase Ytheir utility, durability and efficiency. 1 I,

Other and incidental objects will appear during the course of the detailed description of the invention. In the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferred emsimilar reference characters designate eorre`` the adjacent `spending parts throughout the several views: j

Figure lis a vertical sectional view of a portion of a concrete ship embodyin the present invention and showing the mo d set up and in position to receive a charge of concrete,

Fig. 2 is ahorizontal sectional view showing the construction of the ribs of the hull and manner of reinforcing the same,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of F ig` 42,

. Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of a p0rtion of the cast or completed hull,

Fig." 5 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the rod supporting members detached,

the art to readily constructa concrete hull Y embodying thepresent invention, I have shown and descri ed a mold, but it may be here stated that said mold and its associated parts form the subject'matter of a separate application, executed of even date herewith, andthat nor claim is made in this application thereto, the present invention being confined to the mechanical construction and reinforcement of the hull per se.

The outer Wall or shell of the mold is indicated by the numeral 5 and is preferably formed of concrete While the inner wall 6 is preferably formedv of one or more relatively thin sheets of metal suitably united, said walls being spaced apart to form aninter` mediate molding chamber or compartment 7 adapted to lreceive the concrete or other material of which the body of the hull is formed. The outer wall 5 is relatively thick 'l of openand providedv with a plurali-ty ings preferably extending fthe entire height thereof and. in `which are seated cylindrical sleeves 8 certain of which are adapted to permit the passage of water to the inner surface of thewall 5 for the purpose of floating the cast or molded hull out of the form in which it is cast. The inner face of the mold is covered by a strip of wire netting 9 over which is placed a sheet metal plate l0 and one or more layers of waterproof paper 1l, the wire netting 9 extending for a portion only of the height of the wall 5 and the paper strips 11, which constitute the surface ming of said wall, being `preferably ex- 1.. l, y .1'. v

tendedi'ithe height of the mold. Ar- `l ranged within the molding chamber 7 are spaced circumferential strips of wire netting or other foraminous material 12, which strips are maintained in parallel relation to each other by means of rod supporting membersindicatedat 13. Theserod supportingk members' 13 are preferably cylindrical in cross section and are provided at their opposite ends with threaded sockets 14C and lateral-ly extending iianges 15. The intermediate portion of each rod supporting member is formed with la series of circumferential l grooves 16 which form seats for a plurality of reinforcing members or rods 17. Certain of the rods 17 extend vertically of the hull and others horizontally and diagonally thereof, said rods being retained within the seatinggrooves by ymeans, of binding wires 18 and said rods being also preferably tied to each other at predetermined intervals by similar wires or other binding elements.

The rod supporting members 13 are supported within the chamber 7v during the rality of spacing members or disks 21 having conical shaped openings 22 formedv therein to permit the passage of the bolts 19. Similar spacing members or washers 23 are interposed between the inner wall G and the adjacent wire netting 12 and are provided with correspondingly conical openings to permit the passage of'auXiliary securing bolts'24 provided with clamping nuts 25. The disks or washers 21 and 23 are preferably formed of concrete and serve the p urpose of spacing the strips of wire screening 12 inwardly a suihcient distance from the adjacent faces of the hull of the vessel to prevent velectrolytic action when the hull is immersed or partially immersed in water incident'to launching the vessel.' The inner set of washers-23 also serve to space the inner wall 6 of the mold from the screen rmaterial, as will be readily understood.

The khull of the vessel is provided with a pluralityv of circumferential reinforcing ribs 26 vand molded within the concrete at said ribs are anchoring brackets each consisting of a horizontal/bar 27 having its outer end bent laterally to form an angularly disposed foot 28 formed with a threaded opening 29 for engagement with the correspondingly threaded end 'ofthe adjacent anchoring bolt ,19, asbest shown in Fig. 2'of the drawings. Connected withthe horizontal bar 27 is a diagonally: disposed. trussrod Ior brace 30 having one end thereof'bolted at 31 to the horizontal bar 27 and its other end bent laterally toform a foot 32 similar in construction to the foot 29 and which foot 32 is engaged by one ofthe anchoring bolts 19. The anchoring brackets thus formed serve as a means for supporting or suspending a plurality of vertically disposed reinforcing rods 33 vwithin the chamber 7, during the molding operation, and in order that these vertical rods 33 may be held from displacement when pouring the concrete within the mold, the horizontal bars 27 are provided with a plurality of openings 34 adapted to receive transverse rods 35 to which the vertical reinforcing rods are tied or otherwise secured; In the present instance, two sets of vertically disposed reinforcing rods are shown but it will, of course, be understood that as many sets of vertical rods may be employed as is found desirable or necessary to properly strengthen the ribs and that when more than two pairs of said rods are employed, a correspondingly increased number of the transverse rods 35 will be used in connection therewith for tying or supporting the additional vertical rods. The ribs are preferably further reinforced and strengthened by the provision of a plurality of stirrups 36, the closed ends of which encircle the vertical reinforcing bars while the open ends thereof are bent laterally at 37 and are embeddedfin the wall proper of the hull of the vessel. Attention is here directed to the fact that inasmuch as the anchoring brackets are secured to the body of the mold by the anchoring bolts 19, the vertical reinforcing rods 33 will be securely held in their proper position within the molding chamber during the introduction of the concrete therein, without danger of accidentalL displacement during the molding operation. It will, of course, be understood that after the hull is formed, the anchoring bolts 19 are released, leaving the anchoring brackets and f reinforcing rods embedded in the concrete wallof the hull to strengthen the same. By bending either the reinforcing bar 27 or truss rod 30`at the foot 29,L said bars andtruss rods may be given any desired angle or inclination to accommodate the structure which is to be cast or molded.

It will further be noted that inasmuch as the walls of the openings in the spacing washers 23 are conical in shape and the eX- terior walls undercut at 38 and inclined at 39, said washers willlbe firmly anchored within .the wall lof the hull.

VViththe parts in the position lshown in Fig. 1 of the. drawings, concrete is poured, shoveled, or otherwise introduced into the molding chamber 7 and tamped or not, as desired. After the concrete has become sulicientlyl hard or solidified, the anchoring bolts 19 are withdrawn fromthe sleeves 8 messer.;

and water from a suitable source of supply permitted to pass through the sleeves 8 to the inner face of the wall 5,-the action of the water serving to dislodge the surfacing lining and float the cast hull out of the form, as fully set forth in my other appli cation previously referred to. After the hull has been floated into the receiving dock the inner wall or shell 6 is removed and thev openings in both sets of spacing members or washers are lled with concrete so that the outer faces of said washers will 'be flush with the contiguous faces of the hull of the ship, as best shown in Fig. 4t of the drawings. It will, of course, be understood that after the openings in the washers have been filled with concrete, the exterior of the hull will be coated or otherwise finished and, if desired, the inner face of the hull may be likewise finished prior to launching the vessel.

A concrete hull constructed in accordance with the ypresent invention may be conveniently and expeditiously manufactured Iand will possess the requisite degree of strength and durability to enable it to eifectually withstand crushing and other strains incident to ocean travel.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. In concrete construction, a wall having rod supporting` members embedded therein, reinforcing` rods engaging said members, reinfor-eilig material bearing against the rod supporting members, and spacing elements disposed at the rod supporting members for spacing the reinforcing material inwardly from the opposite faces of said wall.

2. In concrete construction, a wall having rod supporting members embedded therein and provided with circumferential seating grooves, reinforcing rods seated in said grooves, reinforcing material bearing against the supporting members, and spacing elements disposed at the rod supporting members for spacing the reinforcing material inwardly from the opposite faces of said wall, the spacing elements being provided with openings which receive the concrete of which the wall is constructed. v

3. In concrete construction, a wall having rod supporting members embedded therein, reinforcing rods engaging said members, reinforcing material bearing against the rod supporting members, and substantially frusto conical spacing elements disposed at the rod supporting members and having openings formed therein for the reception of the concrete of which the wall is constructed, said spacing members serving to space the reinforcing material inwardly from the adjacent faces of the finished wall.

4f. In concrete construction, a wall having rod supporting members embedded therein and provided with terminal laterally eX- tending flanges an-d intermediate circumferential seating grooves, reinforcing material bearing against the flanges of said rod supporting members, reinforcing rods seated in the grooves and extending in different directions between the reinforcing material, and spacing members bearing against the reinforcing m-aterial at the flanges of the rod supporting members and provided with central conical shaped openings adapted to be filled with the concreteJ of which the wall is formed, said spacing members serving to space the reinforcing material inwardly from the opposite faces of the finished wall.

In concrete construction, a wall having rod supporting members embedded therein and provided with circumferential seating grooves, reinforcing rods seated in said grooves, foraminous material bearing against the opposite ends of the rod supporting members, and spacing washers bearing against the foraminous material at the rod supporting members and each having a centrally disposed conical shaped `opening and a `circumferential wall inclined in opposite directions, said washers Serving to space the foraminous material from the opposite faces of the finished wall and the openings in the washers being adapted to 'be filled with the material of which the wall is formed.

6. ln concrete lship construction, a wall having rod supporting members embedded therein and providedI with circumferential seating grooves and oppositely disposed sockets, foraminous material bearing against the opposite ends of the rod supporting members and covering said sockets, and spacing members 'bearing against the foraminous material and provided with openings alined with the sockets in the rod supporting members, said spacing members serving to space the foraminous material inwardly from the opposite faces of the finished wall and the openings in said spacing members and sockets in the supporting members being filled with the material of which the wall is formed.

In concrete ship construction, a wall having transverse rod supporting members embedded therein and provided with terminal sockets and laterally extending flanges, the walls of the rod supporting members between the flanges being provided with circumferential grooves, reinforcing rods seated in `said grooves, reinforcing material bearing against the flange-s of the rod supporting members, and substantially fr'u'stoconical spacing members bearing against the reinforcing material at the flanges and provided with conical openings registering with the sockets in the rod supporting members, the openings in the spacing members and sockets in the rod supporting members being adapted to be filled with concrete and the-outer faces-of the spacingzmembers being disposed flush with, the finished `surfacel of the wallV` 8. A concrete hull'for ships including'a wall havingy a 'reinforcing rib, anchoring' brackets embedded in the material of which wall having afreinforcingtrib,1 .an anchoring;y bracket embeddedfin the material of whichv tlie'rib is formed and vincl'u'ding'asubstan tially horizontal bar having 'an angularly disposed footprovided with a threaded L opening, a diagonallyfdispose'd bar connect ed with thek horizontal bar and1 provided with a similar foot, and vertically disposed rein-forcing rods embedded in the material of which the rib` is formed and'supported by sai-d anchoring bracket.

1Q. A concrete*hullz fori shipsincluding a wall?I having a reinforcing lrib formed inte-v gral therewith, an anchoring bracket em# bedded in the material of whichthe rib is formedan'd includingy a-suhstantially horizontallbar: havingfioneend thereof provided with a-'plurality of openings'and its other endkbent laterally to form an singularly disposed foot having a threadedv opening therein,T va diagonallyy disposed truss rod secured to theforward-vportion' ofthe horizontal bar and having its lower end bentl laterally to forma similar footgaspluralityl of sets 0f vertically.:- disposed reinforcingbars e1nbedded'in the-'material of Which the rib"l is formedr.` and transverse'I securing rods extendingfjtlirough. the openings in tliehorizontal barl between each setI of i vertical rods andtowhich said-'lverticalrods are tiedor otherwisejse'cured:

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature.`

JULIUS Hi--HOLMGRE-EN. [Lis] Copies of this patent may be obtained for-five cents eacnl.-.byaddressngthe Commissioner offPatents, WashingtonfD. C. 

